Emily Dawes
SST 309-02
April 9th, 2015
Economic Mysteries (Template- See rubric for details)
Part A: Visual 6: What Genius Figured Out How to Get Food from the Farms to the
Markets? from NCEE Booklet:
Handy Dandy Guide (Economic Principles used to solve the Mystery)
1. People choose to do the things they think are best for them.
2. People’s choices have costs.
3. People choose to do things for which they are rewarded.
4. People create rules that affect our choices and how we act.
5. People gain when they freely decide to trade with one another.
6. People’s choices today have future results.
True False Questions (Clue/cues to solving
1. People in our community choose to buy
the mystery – type out and answer):
food. True
2. Farmers can use their land for many
things. True
3. Farmers are not allowed to keep the
money they earn by selling food. False
4. Keeping money that you earn is a
reward. True
5. People who own businesses in which
food from farm is processed(dairies, for
example) can keep the money they earn.
True
6. Farmers keep all the food they grew;
they cannot trade it. False
Solution to the Mystery (Use relevant
Farmers choose to produce corn, beans,
Economic Vocabulary – see Principles and
potatoes, milk and milk for people around
handouts):
the community and the world. The farmers
choses have cost time with their friends and
family because of the long growing seasons.
Farmers sell their crops to the community
and around the world for financial gain.
There are limited rules, which limit and or
help, guide the farmers on how to move
their products to the market place. Farmers
could receive farm equipment in exchange
for their crops. The farmers’ decision to
produce food ensures a healthy community
and world population.
Part B: Write and Solve your own Economic Mystery
Title of your own mystery: Why be late for a very important date?
Handy Dandy Guide (Economic Principles used to solve the Mystery)
1. People choose to do the things they think are best for them.
2. People’s choices have costs.
3. People choose to do things for which they are rewarded.
4. People create rules that affect our choices and how we act.
5. People gain when they freely decide to trade with one another.
6. People’s choices today have future results.
Your original economic mystery scenario:
Molly is responsible for bringing a snack and
her equipment to school so her babysitter
can drop her off for tennis on Wednesdays.
School releases at 3:45pm and tennis begins
at 4:00pm. Tennis is 15 minutes from
school. One Wednesday, Molly woke up late
and forgot her tennis racquet. Molly’s house
is 10 minutes away from school and 20
minutes away from tennis. Molly knows that
she risks punishment for arriving late
because she forgot her equipment last week;
she decides to have her babysitter drive her
home and to get her racquet anyway.
Focus Question:
Why would Molly go back home and get her
tennis racquet if she is going to be late to
tennis and risk punishment?
True False Questions (Clue/cues to solving
1. Molly enjoys playing tennis. True
the mystery – create your own and
2. Molly’s tennis instructor is happy when
answer):
Molly arrives late. False
3. Molly frequently forgets her equipment
at home. True
4. Molly’s babysitter is happy when Molly
forgets her equipment. False
Solution to the Mystery (Use relevant
Molly chooses to have her babysitter drive
Economic Vocabulary – see Principles and
her back home to pick up her racquet for
handouts):
tennis. Molly risks punishment at practice
for arriving late because she went to pick up
her racket. Although she risks getting
punished, Molly will get to still play since
she has her racquet at tennis. To help her
remember to come prepared, her coach put
the punishment in place. Her coach receives
compensation for Molly arriving late. Due to
Molly’s frequent tardiness, Molly’s tennis
skills will suffer.